A configuration is known from the document DE 33 38 649 A, wherein acoustic signals, that is to say audio signals, especially music signals, which are produced by a sound source as sound, especially as music, while a person is falling asleep, are switched off with a delay at a switch-off point in. time after the onset of sleep in dependence on a physiological characteristic of the person. Until this switch-off point in time, reproduction of the audio signals takes place in the way established earlier, which, however, not only sometimes does not have a favorable effect on going to sleep, or generally relaxation, but can even disturb this. Furthermore, switching-off the reproduction of audio signals is mostly noticeable in this—still light—sleep phase, even if the switching-off is effected after a snooze delay when going to sleep and even if the switching-off takes place by reducing the loudness gradually during the reproduction of audio signals, so that the person concerned is unintentionally woken up again.
The known configuration for controlling the reproduction of audio signals is based on the fact that conclusions may be drawn about the various sleep phases on the basis of a physiological characteristic, such as especially on the basis of the breathing rate or pulse rate and that the switching-off is triggered with a delay upon establishing the onset of a certain sleep phase. It should also be noted in this respect that a system for recognizing or discriminating sleep phases or sleep states is described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,831 A, wherein especially the pulse rate is utilized as a basis for this recognition. Methods for recognizing the respective sleep phases are thus known. These known methods for recognizing sleep phases can also be used in a system and-a method for controlling the reproduction of audio signals.